XL97: How to Programmatically Create a Reference

ID: Q160647

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article provides sample Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Sub procedures (or macros) that programmatically create and remove a reference to another project.

NOTE: This functionality was not available in Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0 or earlier.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

Creating a Reference to Another Project

  1. Close all open workbooks, and then create two new workbooks.

  2. Save the workbooks as Book1.xls and Book2.xls in the
     C:\My Documents folder.

  3. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).

  4. If the Project window is not visible, click Project Explorer
     on the View menu.

  5. In the Project window, click "VBAProject (Book1.xls)."

  6. On the Insert menu, click Module.

     This step adds a module in the Book1.xls project.

  7. In the module, type the following code:

       Sub Create_Reference()

           Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject.References.AddFromFile _
               "C:\My Documents\Book2.xls"

           Use_Book2_Reference

       End Sub

       Sub Use_Book2_Reference()

           'Make calls to Book2.xls objects here.

       End Sub

     NOTE: You cannot make reference calls to objects that have been added
     to the object library programmatically in the same procedure. You must
     run another procedure to make the calls.

  8. In the Project window, click "VBAProject (Book2.xls)."

  9. If the Properties window is not visible, click Properties Window on
     the View menu.

 10. Next to the "(Name)" property, type "Project2" (without the quotation
     marks).

     NOTE: If you want to create a reference to another project, that
     project cannot use the same value for the "(Name)" property.

     For additional information, please see the following articles in the
     Microsoft Knowledge Base:

       ARTICLE-ID: Q156882
       TITLE     : XL97 Err Msg: "Name Conflicts with Existing Module"

 11. Run the Create_Reference macro you created in step 7.

     This step creates a reference in Book1.xls to the project in
     Book2.xls.

 12. To verify the reference, click References on the Tools menu.

     In the "References - VBAProject" dialog box, the "Project2" check box
     should be selected.

 13. Click OK.

Removing a Reference to Another Project

The following steps assume you followed all the steps in the "Creating a Reference to Another Project" section.

1. In the module in which you typed the Create_Reference macro, type

   the following code:

      Sub Remove_Reference()

          Dim x As Object
          Set x = Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject _
             .References.Item("Project2")

          Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject.References.Remove x

      End Sub

   This step removes the reference to the project in Book2.xls.

   References on the Tools menu.

   In the "References - VBAProject" dialog box, the "Project2" check box
   should be cleared.

REFERENCES

For more information about the References object, create a reference to the "Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Extensibility" library, and then search the Object Browser. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click References.

2. In the References dialog box, click to select the "Microsoft Visual

   Basic for Applications Extensibility" check box, and then click OK.

   class.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q163435
   TITLE     : VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for
               Applications

Keywords          : kbprg kbdta xlvbainfo KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999